Mail or express car



(No Model.)

O. ZIMMERMAN.

MAIL 0R EXPRESS GAR.

No. 518,477. Patented Apr. 17,1894.

Inventor UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CASPER ZIMMERMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MAIL OR EXPRESS CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,477, dated April 17 1894.

I I Application filed December 30, 1893- Serial No. 495,217. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CASPER ZIMMERMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail or Express Cars; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The invention relates to railroad express and mail cars and consists in the construction thereof so that they will be inaccessible to robbers and their occupants protected from violence. I

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevation; Fig. 2 a longitudinal vertical section and Fig. 3 a vertical cross-section.

In the drawings, A represents the body of a mail or express car made cylindrical, of boiler iron, and with the component bands riveted together like those of an ordinary steam boiler. The end-plates are of the same metal and provided with doors, one at each end of the car or only at one end if so desired. These doors swing laterally on hinges and fit snugly into their seats where they may be secured by an outside and an inside look, the former being operated by a key from the outside while the latter is a springlatch which can only be opened from the inside, the latter being held back by a slide-bolt when the mail or express men are outside of it. These doors are .provided with cords by which they may be quickly shut and. latched so that no one can enter from the outside while the use of dynamite or other explosive will throw the car over but not open the body A.

On each side of the body A is made a delivery window a through which mail bags and packages or parcels may be handed in or out. These Windows are to be locked and bolted on the inside.

B are windows on top of the car to light the inside during the day, while an artificial light may be used at night when needed. They are preferably made too small to permita person to pass through them and, being at the top of car, are difiicult of access to a robber.

P are pistol-holes in the sides and ends of the carbody, sufficient in size to leave, above the pistol, a space for sighting the robbers. I may or may not keep these plugged up from the inside until the occupant of the safety-car desires to use them. These plugs are preferably screws but may be without threads and of any suitable substance.

The bodyA maybe secured conveniently to the trucks or running gear of any railroad car.

I am aware that mail cars have been made of metal round on top, with end-doors and provided with pistol holes but I What I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

. A mail car with a cylindrical body, formed of circular curved end-plates and circular bands. all lapping and riveted together, with windows at top for lighting the inside and windows, fastening on the inside, at each side of body for the inlet and outlet of mail or merchandise, as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CASPER ZIMMERMAN.

Witnesses:

A. RUPPERT, DAVIDE. MOORE. 

